Portarlington

On the north side of The Bellarine, Portarlington has the gentle lapping of clear waters of Port Phillip on its shores. Just up the hill, the street has a strip of cafes, bakeries and take away (fish and chips on the beach thanks!) plus a good old-fashioned pick-your-own lolly shop, Pier View. Sweet!

With uninterrupted bay views across to the You Yangs and, on a clear day, Melbourne, Portarlington is a beautiful bayside town with loads of local flavour. The coastal road from Portarlington to St Leonards is glorious, hugging the water closely and showing off big blue skies and clear, calm water and now it's even easier to get here with Port Phillip Ferries cruising to and from Melbourne Docklands every day.

Some of its most famous residents are also its most delicious, with Australian Blue Mussels grown just offshore and harvested daily by the fleet moored in the harbour. They’re celebrated every year at the Portarlington Mussel Festival on the second Saturday in January, while Queen’s Birthday weekend welcomes the National Celtic Festival for four days celebrating spirit and culture with music, dancing and good craic.

Portarlington is surrounded by vineyards, has more mussels than Arnie and throws a great Celtic party.